Perl | return() Function

return() function in Perl returns Value at the end of a subroutine, block, or do function. Returned value might be scalar, array, or a hash according to the selected context.

Syntax: return Value

Returns:
a List in Scalar Context

Note: If no value is passed to the return function then it returns an empty list in the list context, undef in the scalar context and nothing in void context.

Example 1:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

# Subroutine for Multiplication
sub Mul($$)
{
    my($a, $b ) = @_;
    my $c = $a * $b;

    # Return Value
    return($a, $b, $c);
}

# Calling in Scalar context
$retval = Mul(25, 10);
print ("Return value is $retval\n" );

# Calling in list context
@retval = Mul(25, 10);
print ("Return value is @retval\n" );

Output:

Return value is 250
Return value is 25 10 250

Example 2:

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

# Subroutine for Subtraction
sub Sub($$)
{
    my($a, $b ) = @_;

    my $c = $a - $b;

    # Return Value
    return($a, $b, $c);
}

# Calling in Scalar context
$retval = Sub(25, 10);
print ("Return value is $retval\n" );

# Calling in list context
@retval = Sub(25, 10);
print ("Return value is @retval\n" );

Output:

Return value is 15
Return value is 25 10 15